ObjectiveNeuroinflammation plays a crucial role in both the onset and progression of ischemic stroke, exerting a significant impact on the recovery of the central nervous system. Excessive neuroinflammation can lead to secondary neuronal damage, further exacerbating brain injury and impairing functional recovery. As a result, effectively modulating and reducing neuroinflammation in the brain has become a key therapeutic strategy for improving outcomes in ischemic stroke patients. Among various approaches, targeting immune regulation to control inflammation has gained increasing attention. This study aims to investigate the role of in vitro induced regulatory T cells (Treg cells) in suppressing neuroinflammation after ischemic stroke, as well as their potential therapeutic effects. By exploring the mechanisms through which Tregs exert their immunomodulatory functions, this research is expected to provide new insights into stroke treatment strategies. MethodsNaive CD4⁺ T cells were isolated from mouse spleens using a negative selection method to ensure high purity, and then they were induced in vitro to differentiate into Treg cells by adding specific cytokines. The anti-inflammatory effects and therapeutic potential of Treg cells transplantation in a mouse model of ischemic stroke was evaluated. In the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model, after Treg cells transplantation, their ability to successfully migrate to the infarcted brain region and their impact on neuroinflammation levels were examined. To further investigate the role of Treg cells in stroke recovery, the changes in cytokine expression and their effects on immune cell interactions was analyzed. Additionally, infarct size and behavioral scores were measured to assess the neuroprotective effects of Treg cells. By integrating multiple indicators, the comprehensive evaluation of potential benefits of Treg cells in the treatment of ischemic stroke was performed. ResultsTreg cells significantly regulated the expression levels of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in vitro and in vivo, effectively balancing the immune response and suppressing excessive inflammation. Additionally, Treg cells inhibited the activation and activity of inflammatory cells, thereby reducing neuroinflammation. In the MCAO mouse model, Treg cells were observed to accumulate in the infarcted brain region, where they significantly reduced the infarct size, demonstrating their neuroprotective effects. Furthermore, Treg cell therapy notably improved behavioral scores, suggesting its role in promoting functional recovery, and increased the survival rate of ischemic stroke mice, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic strategy for stroke treatment. ConclusionIn vitro induced Treg cells can effectively suppress neuroinflammation caused by ischemic stroke, demonstrating promising clinical application potential. By regulating the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, Treg cells can inhibit immune responses in the nervous system, thereby reducing neuronal damage. Additionally, they can modulate the immune microenvironment, suppress the activation of inflammatory cells, and promote tissue repair. The therapeutic effects of Treg cells also include enhancing post-stroke recovery, improving behavioral outcomes, and increasing the survival rate of ischemic stroke mice. With their ability to suppress neuroinflammation, Treg cell therapy provides a novel and effective strategy for the treatment of ischemic stroke, offering broad application prospects in clinical immunotherapy and regenerative medicine.

Plant natural products have a wide range of pharmacological properties, not only can they be used as plant dietary supplements to meet the nutritional needs of the human body in the accelerated pace of life, but also occupy an important position in the research and development of therapeutic drugs for the treatment of tumors, inflammation and other diseases, and have been widely accepted by the public due to their good safety. However, despite the above advantages of plant natural products, limiting factors such as low solubility, poor stability, lack of targeting, high toxicity and side effects, and unacceptable odor have greatly impeded their conversion to clinical applications. Therefore, the development of new avenues for the application of new natural products has become an urgent problem to be solved at present. In recent years, with the continuous development of research, various strategies have been developed to improve the bioavailability of natural products. Among them, nanocarrier delivery system is one of the most attractive strategies at present. In past studies, a large number of nanomaterials (organic, inorganic, etc.) have been developed to encapsulate plant-derived natural products for their efficient delivery to specific organs and cells. Up to now, nanotechnology has not only been limited to pharmaceutical applications, but is also competing in the fields of nanofood processing technology and nanoemulsions. Among the various nanocarriers, liposomes are the largest nanocarriers with the largest market share at present. Liposomes are bilayer nanovesicles synthesized from amphiphilic substances, which have advantages such as high drug loading capacity and stability. Attractively, the flexible surface of liposomes can be modified with various functional elements. Functionalized modification of liposomes with different functional elements such as antibodies, nucleic acids, peptides, and stimuli-responsive moieties can bring out the excellent drug delivery function of liposomes to a greater extent. For example, the modification of functional elements with targeting function such as nucleic acids and antibodies on the surface of liposomes can deliver natural products to the target location and improve the bioavailability of drugs; the modification of stimulus-responsive groups such as photosensitizers, magnetic nanoparticles, pH-responsive groups, and temperature sensitizers on the surface of liposomes can achieve controlled release of drugs, localized targeting, and synergistic thermotherapy. In addition to the above properties, by using functionalized liposomes to encapsulate natural products with irritating properties can also effectively mask the irritating properties of natural products, improve public acceptance, and increase the possibility of application of irritating natural products. There are various strategies for modifying liposomes with functional elements, and the properties of functionalized liposomes constructed by different construction strategies differ. The commonly used construction strategies for functionalized liposomes include covalent modification and non-covalent modification. These two types of construction strategies have their own advantages and disadvantages. Covalent modification has better stability than non-covalent modification, but its operation is cumbersome. With the above background, this review focuses on the three typical problems faced by plant natural products at present, and summarizes the specific applications of functionalized liposomes in them. In addition, this paper summarizes the construction strategies for building different types of functionalized liposomes. Finally, this paper will also review the opportunities and challenges faced by functionalized liposomes to enter clinical therapy, and explore the opportunities to overcome these problems, with a view to better realizing the precise control of plant nanomedicines, and providing ideas and inspirations for researchers in related fields as well as relevant industrial staff.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of Sanren decoction on digestion and absorption function and Akt/NF-κB pathway in rats with Helicobacter pylori(Hp)-associated gastritis(HAG) and spleen and stomach damp heat syndrome. METHODS Seventy-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank group(n=12) and modeling group(n=60), and a rat model of HAG with combination of factors[fatigue+diet+bitter cold medicine+environment+biological factors(Hp bacterial solution)] was constructed. After successful modeling, the rats were randomly divided into model group, quadruple therapy group(omeprazole 2 mg·kg−1+amoxicillin 100 mg·kg−1+clarithromycin 50 mg·kg−1+colloidal pectin secret capsule 35 mg·kg−1), Sanren decoction low, medium, high dose groups(3, 7.5, 15 g·kg−1), each group was continuously administered for 21 d. During the experiment, the general conditions of rats were observed; the rapid urease test was performed to detect Hp colonization rate; HE staining was performed to observe the inflammation of gastric mucosa; TUNEL was performed to detect apoptosis in gastric mucosa; the content of Ghrelin, IFN-γ, MTL, GAS, IL-4, IL-10 in serum were detected by ELISA; Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, cAMP, Akt, p-Akt, NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65 in gastric mucosa; Real-time PCR was performed to detect Akt, NF-κB p65 mRNA expression in gastric mucosal tissues. RESULTS Compared with the blank group, the mucosal tissue of rats in the model group was significantly damaged, and the Hp colonization rate, apoptosis, protein expression of caspase-3, Bax, p-Akt, p-NF-κB p65 in gastric mucosal tissue, mRNA expression of Akt, NF-κB p65 in gastric mucosal tissue and serum IFN-γ content were significantly increased, while protein expression of Bcl-2 in gastric mucosal tissue and serum Ghrelin, MTL, GAS, IL-4 and IL-10 levels were significantly decreased(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the mucosal tissue injury of rats in Sanren decoction high dose group was significantly improved, the Hp colonization rate, apoptosis, protein expression of caspase-3, Bax, p-Akt, p-NF-κB p65 in gastric mucosal tissues, mRNA expression of Akt and NF-κB p65 in gastric mucosal tissues and serum IFN-γ content were significantly reduced, while the protein expression of Bcl-2 in gastric mucosal tissues and serum levels of Ghrelin, MTL, GAS, IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly increased(P<0.05). CONCLUSION Sanren decoction can improve the symptoms, inhibit the inflammatory response and functional dyspepsia in rats with HAG spleen and stomach damp heat syndrome, and the mechanism of action maybe related to the regulation of Akt/NF-κB pathway.

Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor de-escalation and nicorandil therapy in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome(ACS)after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods A total of 300 elderly patients with ACS were selected from the Sixth and Seventh Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital and Beijing Chaoyang Integrative Medicine Emergency Rescue and First Aid Hospital from November 2016 to June 2019,including 153 males and 147 females,aged>65 years old.All the patients received PCI,and all had double antiplatelet therapy(DAPT)scores≥2 and a new DAPT(PRECISE-DAPT)score of≥25.All patients were divided into two groups by random number table method before operation:ticagrelor group(n=146,ticagrelor 180 mg load dose followed by PCI,and ticagrelor 90 mg bid after surgery)and ticagrelor de-escalation + nicorandil group(n=154,ticagrelor 180 mg load dose followed by PCI,ticagrelor 90 mg bid+nicorandil 5 mg tid after surgery,changed to ticagrelor 60 mg bid+ nicorandil 5 mg tid 6 months later).Follow-up was 12 months.The composite end points of cardiovascular death,myocardial infarction and stroke,the composite end points of mild hemorrhage,minor hemorrhage,other major hemorrhage and major fatal/life-threatening hemorrhage as defined by the PLATO study,and the composite end points of cardiovascular death,myocardial infarction,stroke and bleeding within 12 months in the two groups were observed.Results The comparison of general baseline data between the two groups showed no statistically significant difference(P>0.05).There was also no significant difference in the composite end points of cardiovascular death,myocardial infarction and stroke between the two groups(P>0.05).The cumulative incidence of bleeding events in ticagrelor de-escalation + nicorandil group was significantly lower than that in ticagrelor group(P<0.05),while the composite end points of cardiovascular death,myocardial infarction,stroke and bleeding were also significantly lower than those in tecagrelor group(P<0.05).Conclusion In elderly patients with ACS,the treatment of ticagrelor de-escalation + nicorandil after PCI may not increase the incidence of ischemic events such as cardiovascular death,myocardial infarction or stroke,and it may reduce the incidence of hemorrhagic events.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of adjusting the dose of imatinib dose in the context of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) who are receiving adjuvant therapy after complete resection of their tumors.Methods:This was a descriptive study. Inclusion criteria were (1) complete surgical resection with a pathological diagnosis of GIST, (2) postoperative adjuvant therapy with imatinib and dosage adjustment, (3) multiple TDM of imatinib, and (4) complete clinical, pathological, and follow-up data. The data of 70 patients with GISTs treated at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology between January 2015 and December 2023 were collected retrospectively. The study cohort comprised 15 (21.4%) men and 55 (78.6%) women of median age 60 years (range: 25–82). Of the eligible patients, 49 (70.0%) were at high-risk, 14 (20.0%) at intermediate-risk, six (8.6%) at low-risk, and one (1.4%) at very low risk. Patients were followed up by the gastrointestinal stromal tumor clinic every 2–3 months and their plasma concentrations of imatinib were checked. The dose was adjusted to 300 mg/d or 200 mg/d depending on whether they had had ≥ grade III adverse reactions, and whether the first plasma concentration of imatinib was ≥ 1,500 μg/L or between the expected range of 760 μg/L–1,100 μg/L. Studied indicators included adverse reactions, quality of life before and after dose adjustment, and overall survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after dose adjustment.Results:Before dose adjustment, all 70 patients received 400 mg of imatinib daily, with initial TDM values of 1,900 ± 568 μg/L, for a median duration of 8.3 months. After dose adjustment, 60 patients received 300 mg daily, with a TDM of 1,216 ± 350 μg/L, whereas 10 received 200 mg daily, with a TDM of 1,023 ± 269 μg/L. The median duration of treatment after dose adjustment was 23.4 months. Compared with those whose dosages were not adjusted, the incidence of bone marrow suppression was significantly lower (74.3% [52/70] vs. 51.4% [36/70], χ 2=9.202, P=0.010); as were the incidences of edema (95.7% [67/70] vs. 50.0% [35/70], χ 2=40.526, P<0.001); skin reactions (70.0% [49/70] vs. 32.9% [23/70), χ 2=22.495, P<0.001); and gastrointestinal reactions (38.6% [27/70] vs. 10.0% [7/70], χ 2=15.899, P<0.001) in those whose dosages were adjusted. The average total scores for physical health before and after dose adjustment were 76 ± 5 and 88 ± 4, respectively; whereas the mental health scores were 75 ± 6 and 89 ± 4, respectively. The median follow-up period was 36 months (range 6–126). During the first 3 years of follow-up, five high-risk patients with non-gastric GISTs developed recurrences. The 3-year overall survival rate was 100%, and the 3-year RFS rate was 92.8%, high-risk patients having a 3-year RFS rate of 89.8%. Conclusion:The adverse reactions and quality of life of GIST patients with severe adverse reactions to adjuvant imatinib therapy after complete resection can be mitigated by appropriately reducing the dosage of imatinib under the guidance of TDM.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of adjusting the dose of imatinib dose in the context of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) who are receiving adjuvant therapy after complete resection of their tumors.Methods:This was a descriptive study. Inclusion criteria were (1) complete surgical resection with a pathological diagnosis of GIST, (2) postoperative adjuvant therapy with imatinib and dosage adjustment, (3) multiple TDM of imatinib, and (4) complete clinical, pathological, and follow-up data. The data of 70 patients with GISTs treated at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology between January 2015 and December 2023 were collected retrospectively. The study cohort comprised 15 (21.4%) men and 55 (78.6%) women of median age 60 years (range: 25–82). Of the eligible patients, 49 (70.0%) were at high-risk, 14 (20.0%) at intermediate-risk, six (8.6%) at low-risk, and one (1.4%) at very low risk. Patients were followed up by the gastrointestinal stromal tumor clinic every 2–3 months and their plasma concentrations of imatinib were checked. The dose was adjusted to 300 mg/d or 200 mg/d depending on whether they had had ≥ grade III adverse reactions, and whether the first plasma concentration of imatinib was ≥ 1,500 μg/L or between the expected range of 760 μg/L–1,100 μg/L. Studied indicators included adverse reactions, quality of life before and after dose adjustment, and overall survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after dose adjustment.Results:Before dose adjustment, all 70 patients received 400 mg of imatinib daily, with initial TDM values of 1,900 ± 568 μg/L, for a median duration of 8.3 months. After dose adjustment, 60 patients received 300 mg daily, with a TDM of 1,216 ± 350 μg/L, whereas 10 received 200 mg daily, with a TDM of 1,023 ± 269 μg/L. The median duration of treatment after dose adjustment was 23.4 months. Compared with those whose dosages were not adjusted, the incidence of bone marrow suppression was significantly lower (74.3% [52/70] vs. 51.4% [36/70], χ 2=9.202, P=0.010); as were the incidences of edema (95.7% [67/70] vs. 50.0% [35/70], χ 2=40.526, P<0.001); skin reactions (70.0% [49/70] vs. 32.9% [23/70), χ 2=22.495, P<0.001); and gastrointestinal reactions (38.6% [27/70] vs. 10.0% [7/70], χ 2=15.899, P<0.001) in those whose dosages were adjusted. The average total scores for physical health before and after dose adjustment were 76 ± 5 and 88 ± 4, respectively; whereas the mental health scores were 75 ± 6 and 89 ± 4, respectively. The median follow-up period was 36 months (range 6–126). During the first 3 years of follow-up, five high-risk patients with non-gastric GISTs developed recurrences. The 3-year overall survival rate was 100%, and the 3-year RFS rate was 92.8%, high-risk patients having a 3-year RFS rate of 89.8%. Conclusion:The adverse reactions and quality of life of GIST patients with severe adverse reactions to adjuvant imatinib therapy after complete resection can be mitigated by appropriately reducing the dosage of imatinib under the guidance of TDM.

Objective To analyze the incidence and mortality of malignant tumors among the middle-aged and elderly population in Chengguan district of Lanzhou from 2011 to 2021,and to discuss the related risk factors.Methods Using the research data of REACTION in Lanzhou,an epidemiological survey was conducted through cluster sampling in three communities in Chengguan district of Lanzhou since April 2011.The target population was middle-aged and elderly residents over 40 years old.Two follow-up surveys were carried out in 2014-2016 and 2021 successively,and 6543 people with complete follow-up data were finally included.The incidence and mortality rates of malignant tumors were calculated,as well as their age standardized rates with reference to the age composition of Segi's world standard population.Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors affecting the incidence and mortality of malignant tumors.Results After an average follow-up of 10.6 years,314 new cases of malignant tumors were found in middle-aged and elderly residents in Chengguan district of Lanzhou,with an incidence rate and age standardized incidence rate of 454.30/100 000 and 128.93/100 000,respectively.A total of 158 deaths were attributed to malignant tumors,with a mortality rate and age standardized rate of 228.41/100 000 and 607.9/100 000,respectively;The age standardized incidence rate and mortality rate of malignant tumors males were both higher than those females(P＜0.05).During the follow-up period,the age standardized incidence rate of malignant tumors in the general population showed an significant upward trend(P＜0.05),whereas the age standardized mortality rate gradually decreased after a brief increase(P＜0.05).Lung cancer,colorectal cancer,gastric cancer,and liver cancer were the main types of malignant tumors ranking in the top five in terms of incidence and mortality by gender.Multivariate Cox regression results indicate that male,age≥60 years old,college education level or above,smoking history,drinking history,having been hit by major stressful events,central obesity,hypertension,and coronary heart disease are risk factors for the onset or death of malignant tumors(HR＞1).Married,with family size≥4,frequent consumption of fresh fruit,frequent consumption of fresh vegetables,frequent consumption of grains and tubers are protective factors for the onset or death of malignant tumors(HR＜1).Conclusion The incidence of malignant tumors among middle-aged and elderly people in Chengguan district of Lanzhou from 2011 to 2021 showed an increasing trend,while the overall mortality was decreasing.Our study indicates early cancer screening in elderly populations,maintaining a healthy lifestyle and strengthening the management of chronic diseases are crucial for the prevention and treatment of malignant tumors.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Gap junction(GJ),also known as gap junction,is widely found between neurons and glial cells,and can connect neighboring cells and mediate the transmission of electrical sig-nals between neighboring cells.The GJ channel,which exists between neurons and mediates intercellular electrical signaling,is also known as an electrical synapse.Connexins(Cxs)are the molecular basis of GJ,and are expressed to different degrees in different neurons and glial cells.The presence of GJ mediates different functions among neurons and glial cells,which further influences the establishment of various mature neural circuits,re-flecting the importance of GJ in the maintenance of neural cir-cuits.This review summarizes the relationship between GJ and neural circuits in relation to the effects of GJ and different Cxs on neurons and glial cells,providing new research ideas for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Patients with severe trauma require an extremely timely treatment and transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in the emergency treatment of such patients. An increasing number of evidence-based medicinal evidences and clinical practices suggest that patients with severe traumatic bleeding benefit from early transfusion of low-titer group O whole blood or hemostatic resuscitation with red blood cells, plasma and platelet of a balanced ratio. However, the current domestic mode of blood supply cannot fully meet the requirements of timely and effective blood transfusion for emergency treatment of patients with severe trauma in clinical practice. In order to solve the key problems in blood supply and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma, Branch of Clinical Transfusion Medicine of Chinese Medical Association, Group for Trauma Emergency Care and Multiple Injuries of Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Young Scholar Group of Disaster Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association organized domestic experts of blood transfusion medicine and trauma treatment to jointly formulate Chinese expert consensus on blood support mode and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma patients ( version 2024). Based on the evidence-based medical evidence and Delphi method of expert consultation and voting, 10 recommendations were put forward from two aspects of blood support mode and transfusion strategies, aiming to provide a reference for transfusion resuscitation in the emergency treatment of severe trauma and further improve the success rate of treatment of patients with severe trauma.